Combined wire stretcher and splicer



J.ELDER ET AL COMBINED WIRE STRETCHER AND SPLICER Filed Feb. 27, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet l 12 4 Jun DER .ERUL'EM. HCLEID.

J. ELDER ET AL COIBINBT) WIRE STRETCHER AND SPLICER Filed Feb. 27, 19232 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jim/Tans- JUHN ELDER .FITUL'EMMHELEDD. 7

Patented Dec. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ELDER AND BRUCE M. MACLEOD, OF LETHBR-IDGE, ALBERTA, CANADA.

COMBINED WIRE STRETCI-IEB AND SPLICER.

Application filed February 27, 1923.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN Eton-n and BRUCE hlonrn'rii MAoLnon, subjectsof the King of Great Britain, and residents of the city of Lethbridge,in the Province of Alberta and Dominion of Canada, have inventcd certainnew and useful Improvements in Combined Wire Stretchers and Splicers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in combined wire stretchers andsplicers and the objects of the invention are to provide a light,efficient and simply constructed tool of this character, in which theseveral parts will satisfactorily perform the various functions requiredof them.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consistsessentially in the novel construction and arrangement of pants asdescribed in the present specification and illustrated by theaccompanying drawings that form part of the same.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in each figure,

Figure 1 is a plan view embodying the invention and showing loose wiresin position preparatory to splicing.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the stretcher reversed.

Figure 3 is a detail of the swivel mounted clamp.

Figure 4 is a detail of the clamping member.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the stretcher.

showing wire stretched preparatory to splicmg.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the next position preparatory to splicing,in dotted lines.

Figure 7 is a plan view showing the final position of stretcher and tautwires for splicing.

In the drawings, in which an example of the invention is illustrated, Adesignates the device as a whole consisting of a main member 10 pointedat its lower end 11 to be stuck into the ground when, desired andsuitably curved at its upper end to form the fixed arm 12.

14 is a swinging arm suitably curved in opposition to the arm 12 andpivotally mounted on the arm 12 at 13. This arm 14 is also adjustable bymeans of a series of holes 15 therein, one of which designed to registerin turn with a hole 16 in the arm 12.

Serial No. 621,591.

18 is a hole in the arm 14 apart from the series 15 and is designed toregister with a hole 19 in the main member 10 to receive therethro-ugh asecuring pin 20 carried by the handle 10 and adapted when in use to holdthe swinging arm 14 fixedly in position.

It will be noted that the semicircular formed swinging arm 14 is adaptedto extend along and lie snugly against the arm 12, thereby ensuringstrength as well as efliciency in operation.

Adjacent the outer ends of the arms 12 and 14 are the clamping members22 and 23,

one of which is mounted on the rear side of g the arm and the other onthe front of the arm. These clamps comprise a fixed portion 24, hereshown as having a concaved face and a pivo-tally mounted cam-shapedmember 25 provided with teeth 26 and a handle 27 and adapted inoperation to engage with the portion 24 to grip therebetween the wire.

Pivotally mounted at 28 intermediate of the ends of the member 12, is aswivel member 29 on which in turn is mounted a clamp 30 of similarconstruction to the clamp 23.

31 and 32 are the wires.

33 is a spring for the clamp 22 connecting the arm of the clamp 22 withthe swinging arm, whereby the clamp 22 is automatically held in closedposition.

With regard to the hole in the swinging arm designed to register withthe orifice or hole in the main member 10 and through which the pin isplaced to hold the arm in position, this is for the purpose ofstretchving loose wires and for holding the device in position forsplicing the loose ends of stretched wires. All the other holes in theswinging arm are for the purpose of holding the stretcher at any pointduring the stretching of wire in what is known as the reverse pull orpush of the handle 10 away from the operator. These holes in difierentplaces enable the operator to hold and fasten the stretcher at any pointin the reverse stretch by simply dropping the bolt 17 into the holewhich may be in proper place for purpose.

To splice loose wires, fasten both the wires 31 and 32 in the clamp 23,place one wire 81 in clamp 22 and the end of the wire 32 place on theopposite side of the arm 14 to that of the clamp 22. Give wire 32 a halfturn around the wire 31 and place spike be' tween the wires and turn itfour or five times and the splice is made, see "Figures 1, 2 and 7. v

To stretch wire, place the Wire 31 in the swivel clamp and tap clamphome securely with hammer or clippers, leaving the loose end of wire 31long enough to extend across to clamp 22 when stretcher isin position.Then stretch movable arm 14 out to the left as far as it Will go andplace wire 32 in clamp 22. The loose end of wire 32 must be long enoughto reach clamp 23 when the handle of stretcher isvpushed over to theright as far as it will go.

With the spring on handle of clamp 22, it will grip the wire 32automatically when inward movement of the stretcher is-begun. The finish.of this pull is illustrated in Figure 5. i

The handle is then drawn to the right and in this manner the wire isstretched. Then push the handle of stretcher to the left againun-til'itis back inits former position,

and repeat these stretches until wire is tight enough to suit. Thehandle of the stretcher is then drawn to such a position that theorifice therein registers with the orifice in the arm 14:,therebyholdingthe stretcher in position for splicing the loose ends.

The loose end of the wire 31 is then given a half turn over wire 32beyond clamp 22 and the loose end of wire 32 is given a half turn overwire 31 to the right of clamp 30, see Figure 7, and then the spike orhandle of the wire clippers is placed between the two wires and turneduntil the wires are securely spliced between the arms. Then open clampsand remove stretcher and thewiork is done.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely diflerent embodiments of our invention withinthe scopeof the claims, con structed without departing from the spirit orscopethereof, it is intended that all matter containedin theaccompanyingspecification and drawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

hat we claim as our invention is:

1. A tool of the character described, comprising in combination, ahandle member having a rigid arm, a swinging arm carried by the rigidarm, and means for retaining the swinging arm in position, means foradjusting said arm including a series of orifices designed to registerindividually with an orifice in the rigid arm, and pivotal bolt meansadapted to extendthrough said orifices, clamping means for said arms,spring actuated means for closing clamping means, and clamping meansswivel mounted on the rigid arm.

2. In a tool of the character described, the combination with a stem, arigid arm formed on the stem, a second arm swingingly mounted on therigid arm, clamping means adj acentthe outer ends of said arms, and aclamping member pivotally mounted on the rigid arm intermediate of theswing ing arm, and the clamping .member at the outer end thereof.

8. In a tool of the character described, the combination with a rigidarm, and a swingingly mounted arm having clamping means thereon, of aclamping member pivotally mounted on the rigid arm, intermediate of theswinging arm,'and the clamping means thereon, a plurality of orifices inthe swinging arm adapted to individually register with orifices in therigid arm, and pin securing means through said orifices whereby theswingingly mounted arm is fixedly and adjustably retained in position.

In witness whereof we have hereuntoset our hands in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN ELDER. B. M. MACLEOD. Witnesses:

ANNE M. MACKENZIE, WILLIAM S. BALL.

